Lacorte's Nixonian performance

Feb. 1, 2013

Rockland County executive candidate Dagan Lacorte says he wants to raise the level of the campaign, an action so incredulous as it came out a few days after he was caught spying on a candidate in a clear attempt to get “dirt” on someone who he claims is a “friend.”

Well, he has raised the level of one thing: chutzpah. As to the “discourse” he speaks of, all I have seen have been negative comments made on other candidates in various blogs and social media that clearly trace back to him or his allies. One of those was made by none other than disgraced former Assemblyman Ryan Karben, his friend and political confidant.

A “rough and tumble campaign”? It’s January. There is no campaign yet, other than the well thought out actions of Mr. Lacorte that include trying to secretly record his opponent in what he called a “recon” mission. Mr. Lacorte should reflect upon the error of his ways instead engaging in a very shallow lecture on ethics or engaging in what is clearly some sort of political damage control. I find the entire episode sickening.

Mr. Lacorte’s actions tell me he is a “win at any cost” candidate, and I never thought I would live to see the day that a self-proclaimed progressive Democrat would win the trophy for best Nixonian performance in local politics. And Mr. Lacorte should follow that former president’s lead — get out of politics.